Governor Henry signs HB 1804

[jamesrage]

I am actually shocked.I thought he wouldn't sign the HB1804,I even sent him a email telling him that I didn't think he would sign the bill.

Oklahoma passes common sense anti-illegal immigration bill!

http://kotv.com/news/local/story/?id=126879
He waited until the deadline, but Governor Brad Henry signed an immigration bill into law Tuesday afternoon. Critics of the bill say it's mean spirited. But News On 6 anchor Omar Villafranca reports supporters of the legislation say it will shut off access to jobs and benefits for illegal aliens, saving state taxpayers millions of dollars.

snip..

The bill, known as The Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act, requires all local and state agencies to verify a person's citizenship before they receive benefits. Howard thinks the bill will have illegal aliens making other plans.



http://www.examiner-enterprise.com/articles/2007/05/08/news/news632.txt

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Gov. Brad Henry signed a sweeping immigration reform bill Tuesday, describing it as a stopgap measure to deal with an illegal immigration problem that is actually the responsibility of the federal government.

The legislation, described as the nation's most meaningful attempt to deny jobs and public benefits to illegal immigrants, passed the House and Senate by overwhelming margins and was one of the key issues in last fall's round of state legislative and congressional elections.

"Illegal immigration is a very serious national security issue that must be addressed at the federal level," Henry said. "States can take some actions on their own, but until the U.S. Congress enacts a comprehensive, national immigration policy, citizens will see little progress on this issue."

State lawmakers praised Henry's action. Supporters had urged Henry to sign the measure into law since it received final passage in a bipartisan 84-14 vote by the state House last week. The bill was approved 41-6 by the Senate last month.

"This important new immigration reform ensures we're upholding the rule of law in Oklahoma. Our citizens deserve nothing less," said House Speaker Lance Cargill, R-Harrah.

snip...

The legislation builds on measures passed by other states but focuses on deterring unauthorized employment. Among other things, it contains employment, labor law and civil rights provisions to protect citizens and legal immigrants who lose their jobs at companies that employ illegal immigrants to perform the same or similar work.

The measure targets employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens in order to gain a competitive advantage. Key elements of the bill focus on determining worker eligibility, including technology called the Basic Pilot program, which screens Social Security numbers to make sure they are real and that they match up with the job applicant's name.

Created by the federal government to verify the eligibility of government employees, use of the program is mandated in Georgia, authorities said. It is free to employers who voluntarily sign up.

Public agencies will be required to use the program beginning Nov. 1 and private companies by July 1, 2008.

The measure would also limit state driver's licenses and identity cards to citizens and legal immigrants and would require state and local agencies to verify the citizenship and immigration status of applicants for state or local benefits.

It also retains an in-state tuition program for children of illegal immigrants attending state colleges and universities. The measure now allows students to continue paying in-state tuition but new applicants must apply for citizenship within one year.

The measure would not affect emergency medical and humanitarian services, such as visits to hospital emergency rooms and enrollment in public schools, that are required by federal law.

[Conan71]

So he signed that hateful bill.  Hometown will be pissed.[]

Thank you Gov. Henry for having some common sense!

[Wilbur]

Is fine with me too, but I think there are a lot of people out there who believe this bills means there will be lines of illegals waiting to be booked into the jail.  Far from it.

This bill does not mandate the federal government take custody of illegals, thus it changes nothing about what local/state police can do.

The majority of the bill, as mentioned in the piece, centers around employment and benefits.

[RecycleMichael]

Thanks for the clarification, Wilbur.

Will the Tulsa Police change methods from this bill? Were there any new instructions to the police today?

[Conan71]

"The measure would also limit state driver's licenses and identity cards to citizens and legal immigrants and would require state and local agencies to verify the citizenship and immigration status of applicants for state or local benefits."

It blows my mind that this was not well-defined before.

[RLitterell]

It's about time. Finally a state government with some "Bolas"!!!

[Wilbur]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

Thanks for the clarification, Wilbur.

Will the Tulsa Police change methods from this bill? Were there any new instructions to the police today?

The majority of the bill directed towards law enforcement were directed to Sheriffs, because they are required to run the county jails across the state.  I did not identify anything in the bill (I've read it twice) that changed any practice of police officers.

Immigration is still a federal issue and there are only federal laws (no state statutes or city ordinances) that deal with immigration.  With this being the case, state and local police must rely on the feds to agree to take custody of an illegal immigrant.  Since 99.9% of the time they don't want to hear about someone who is in this country illegally, state and local authority is extremely limited.

[Double A]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

Thanks for the clarification, Wilbur.

Will the Tulsa Police change methods from this bill? Were there any new instructions to the police today?

Wassup? Ax da Mare.

[Wilbur]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

"The measure would also limit state driver's licenses and identity cards to citizens and legal immigrants and would require state and local agencies to verify the citizenship and immigration status of applicants for state or local benefits."

It blows my mind that this was not well-defined before.

I think it was defined before, but look at it this way....  Many people complain about getting in a wreck with an immigrant who has no driver license or insurance.  The state won't let them get a driver license so they have no ability to get insurance.  If you give them the ability to get a driver license, then you give them the ability to get insurance.

Some states allow immigrants to get driver licenses, which Oklahoma will honor.  Tulsa city ordinance says police will honor a driver license from any other state or country.

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

"The measure would also limit state driver's licenses and identity cards to citizens and legal immigrants and would require state and local agencies to verify the citizenship and immigration status of applicants for state or local benefits."

It blows my mind that this was not well-defined before.

I think it was defined before, but look at it this way....  Many people complain about getting in a wreck with an immigrant who has no driver license or insurance.  The state won't let them get a driver license so they have no ability to get insurance.  If you give them the ability to get a driver license, then you give them the ability to get insurance.

Some states allow immigrants to get driver licenses, which Oklahoma will honor.  Tulsa city ordinance says police will honor a driver license from any other state or country.

what about the tribes....the illegals have been getting a large number of tribal licenses and plates.  I saw an obvious truckload of them the other day and they had muscogee nation plates, I was like pancakes, you are no Creek!

[ttownclown]

I have one concearn.  From what I hear, the bill places penalties on employers if their "employees" are illegal.  Will this result in compaines, who typically hire illegals,  to classify their workers as "independant contractors"? If they classify them as contractors, the employer would not have to withhold federal and state taxes from their pay.  The employer would just hand them a 1099 at the end of the year. Most illegals don't file taxes, therefore the government probably will not collect taxes they once did.  Anyone know if this is addressed in the bill?

[Breadburner]

It's not that easy as just saying someone is an independent contractor or paying them contract labor.....

[Double A]

Here's a link to a great video detailing 1099 abuse and the impact:

1099    Misclassification


I would be willing to bet we'll see some folks  take up the 1099 abuse or worker misclassification problem and demand solutions. Kansas is working on reforms to end this abuse. BTW, legal employees are also victims of worker misclassification by corrupt employers. It also victimizes honest businesses who play by the rules, pay workers compensation and unemployment. The businesses engaged in 1099 abuse cheat the system to avoid paying their share, passing higher premiums on to the reputable businesses.  

The answer to keeping illegal aliens from engaging in 1099 abuse is really quite simple. What we really need is to get the IRS to stop issuing tax identification numbers to illegal aliens to close this loophole. Problem solved.

[jamesrage]

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur
I think it was defined before, but look at it this way....  Many people complain about getting in a wreck with an immigrant who has no driver license or insurance.

I think most people's complaint about getting in wrecks with illegals is the fact that illegals not supposed to be in this country,had the government been doing their job that illegal would be back in his country getting into wrecks instead of over here getting into wrecks.

If a security guard working at a facility with electronically locked doors decided to disable the locks so he would have to manually let anyone in and whole bunch of trespassers came in and squatted,vandalized the place and stole property.Would the issue be all about the individual crimes those trespassers committed and have no bearing on the fact that all this occurred because the security guard did not do his job in securing the building or would the security guard be fired because all those trespassers should have not been in there in the first place?

quote:
The state won't let them get a driver license so they have no ability to get insurance.  If you give them the ability to get a driver license, then you give them the ability to get insurance.

I believe the idea is to deny them the ability to drive.Because if you don't have a license you are not supposed to drive.If you are here illegally you are not even supposed to be here.

quote:
Some states allow immigrants to get driver licenses, which Oklahoma will honor.  Tulsa city ordinance says police will honor a driver license from any other state or country.

Now when you say immigrants do you mean the illegals who are in our country illegally therefore criminals or law abiding citizens who are legally in this country not criminals?I have to ask because many racist people like to lump illegals and immigrants together as though somehow they are one and the same.

[Wilbur]

quote:Originally posted by jamesrage

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur
I think it was defined before, but look at it this way....  Many people complain about getting in a wreck with an immigrant who has no driver license or insurance.

I think most people's complaint about getting in wrecks with illegals is the fact that illegals not supposed to be in this country,had the government been doing their job that illegal would be back in his country getting into wrecks instead of over here getting into wrecks.

If a security guard working at a facility with electronically locked doors decided to disable the locks so he would have to manually let anyone in and whole bunch of trespassers came in and squatted,vandalized the place and stole property.Would the issue be all about the individual crimes those trespassers committed and have no bearing on the fact that all this occurred because the security guard did not do his job in securing the building or would the security guard be fired because all those trespassers should have not been in there in the first place?

quote:
The state won't let them get a driver license so they have no ability to get insurance.  If you give them the ability to get a driver license, then you give them the ability to get insurance.

I believe the idea is to deny them the ability to drive.Because if you don't have a license you are not supposed to drive.If you are here illegally you are not even supposed to be here.

quote:
Some states allow immigrants to get driver licenses, which Oklahoma will honor.  Tulsa city ordinance says police will honor a driver license from any other state or country.

Now when you say immigrants do you mean the illegals who are in our country illegally therefore criminals or law abiding citizens who are legally in this country not criminals?I have to ask because many racist people like to lump illegals and immigrants together as though somehow they are one and the same.

I understand that in a perfect world we would have no illegal immigrants in the United States.  Since that hasn't been the case in over 200 years, it still boils down to one thing....

Do you want to be involved in a wreck with an illegal immigrant who has insurance or who doesn't have insurance?

Making all the illegal immigrants go away will not eliminate collisions, nor will it eliminate all people who don't drive with insurance or a license.  It won't even come close to eliminating the vast majority of the problem.